Students from outside the United Kingdom and the European Union who wish to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom are required to obtain a UK Student Visa.
There are several different categories of student visas available in the United Kingdom. These categories are determined by the applicant’s age, the programme or course of study that will be pursued, the length of time that the programme will be pursued, and the specific college or university that will be used for the education. i.e.:
Visa for visitors with children:
Students who are 16 years old or younger and want to participate in a study programme in the United Kingdom for up to a year can apply for this visa.
If the student is travelling with an academic visitor, the total length of time they are required to complete the course can be extended to a maximum of 12 months.
Student Visitor Visa:
Students from other countries who wish to enrol in a course of study in the United Kingdom for a maximum of six months can apply for this visa. The applicant must be at least 18 years old.
The student is required to submit an application for an extended student visitor visa that is valid for a maximum of 11 months in order to enrol in courses that are solely focused on the English language.
Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa:
Students from other countries who are between the ages of 4 and 17 and who want to pursue an academic programme in the United Kingdom for a period of time that is longer than six months are eligible to apply for this visa.
The training must be completed at a school that is listed on the official registry of licenced sponsors. In addition, if the student is between the ages of 4 and 15, they must be travelling to the United Kingdom with the intention of enrolling in an independent school that requires payment of tuition.
Tier 4 (General) Student Visa:
Students who are at least 16 years old and want to continue their education in the United Kingdom for longer than six months can apply for this type of visa. In order to be eligible for this type of visa, applicants have to satisfy certain eligibility requirements that have been established.
Eligibility Requirements for UK Student Visa
To be eligible for a UK Student Visa, the authorities in charge of UK immigration will ask you to fulfil a few requirements and provide evidence of a few things before granting you the visa.
• You must be at least 16 years old to participate in this event.
You are required to have a current passport in your possession.
• You must have been extended an invitation to participate in a class or programme by a recognised educational organisation in the United Kingdom.
• You will need to demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources to pay for both your programme and your living expenses while you are in the UK.
• Upon completion of your programme, you are planning to depart the United Kingdom.
You are required to have very strong reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension skills in English.
In addition, during the application process for the UK student visa, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in the English language in order to be considered for eligibility. Successful completion of a recognised English Language Test is required for this goal. e.g., IELTS.
Conclusion
In general, the requirements for a student visa to study in the UK are not as insurmountable as they might appear at first glance. If you have all of the required paperwork and can demonstrate that you are able to support yourself financially, obtaining a visa should not be difficult for you. Just make sure that you get the process started in a timely manner and give yourself plenty of time to gather all of the required documentation.
